Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-12-30


INQUIRY has been recently made upon
this subject. 1t is one Of legitimate inter-
est, especially perhaps to the present
jewellers in our city. Matters frequently
appear great or small by comparison.
When George Washington went surveying
in the western wilds and when Stonewall
jackson rode constable ia western Virgil
MIA, doubtless they seemed small men to
the landed gentry and the members OF the
learned professions; but in the light of
their after glory. the very humbleness Of
their early pursuits is Just element OF
their fame. The founding of Rome and
that of Staunton, are of very unequal in
terest in the worlds history; but within
our own contracted bounds the story OF
our pioneers touches us much more nearly
than the tabled nursing of Romulus by a
she-wolf OR the exploits of his robber band,
who raided the Sabines for wives. The
Shawnees and Mingoes were the old
Romans of our Valley and found more
than match in the fiery and hardy Gale
DOMAIN stock. which here laid the firm
foundations of manly freedom and politi-
cal and religious liberty. These were no
common men. Nearly all of pure Scotch
descent, they had culture and knowledge
of the world, and thrift; took pride in their
blood kinshlp to the highest families of
Scotland, and feared nothing human. The
story of 1876 IN this Valley shows by
reflected light what manner Of men the
pioneer fathers were and the true value Of
their Iabors from 1740 to 1890.
A FAMILY NAME THAT HAS
DISAPPEARED.
It at first seems singular that family
(which a hundred, and hundred and fifty
years ago, stood in the front rank of our
pioneers and included by blood relation
ship or marriage alliance, some of the
most prominent men Of the day. persons
of substance and distinguished gallantrY
in the Indian and Revolutionary wars.
should have passed almost entirely from
living memory except in meagre traditions
of few of their descendants. But the
wonder ceases when we find that just one
hundred years ago the last male who bore
the name in Stanton and its viclnage.
sought fresh woods and pastures neW''
on the tempting soil of Kentucky. The
collateral family names gave no hint OF the
parent stock; emigration, accident and
fire had removed or destroyed private re-
cords, and nothing remained but to take
the chances of discovery in public archives.
Literd scriptd md1let and the wonderfully
preserved records of deeds and wills in the
County Clerks office, with those Of few
suits in the Circuit Court office. left few
questions unsolved. TO an old county
court lawyer, it is as congenial a labor to
trace pedigree, as land title. The pur-
suit of an inquiry for a friend. upon a
wholly different matter, really first led by
accident to the discovery of the chancery
cause of Kincaid rs. Cunningham; this
led to the Deed Books. the Court-martia
Minutes, and last to the Will Books. The
result is reconstruction from incontest
able sources of the history IN Stauntor
and adjacent parts, of the
CUNNINGHAM FAMILY.
Amonst the Scotch-Irish settlers in vi
ster, the Conynghams las originally writ
ten) held SO important place that large
tract of land was set apart Tor them spec
tally, called "Manor Conynghanl." Thei
general character is probably well illustra
ted by one of their number who ranks
: among the famous ''apprentices of Derry.
Foote's sketches OF Virginia Up. s9) tells tb'
tale of those daring young men, who vert
appreuticed in the honorable and lucra.
tive business tf TIA manufacture of linen
When King James forces under the Ear
of Antrim appeared before Londonderry il
1889, there was high debate as to their ad
mission into the city. Some Of the magis
trates favored it, others not. The issu
was determined by thirteen apprentices
who seized the keys, closed and securet
the gates and warned the intruders from
the walls-amongst the thirteen was Alex
ander Cunningham The names of other
are also familiar to us-as Sherrard, II
vine, Stuart, Morrison, Harvey, dc. Arch
bishop King styles them ny outhful He
roes;" and DR.. Foote concludes his &C
count by saying: The names of the AZ
prentices of Derry are familiar names il
the Valley Of the Shenandoah" McCau
lays History of England gives substant1
ally the same tale, without mentioning th
names of the apprentices.
From this Ulster stock unquestionabl
came those of the name who emigrated t
America early in the 18th century and al
first found in Pennsylvania about Carl1sl
and Lancaster. Thence, pressing on wit
the genuine pioneer spirit, they settled il
considerable numbers at Staunton and i
its vicinity. years before the town ha
corporate existence or name. Indee
the earliest records show no other famil
perhaps even equal to that of the Gu
ninehams IN point Of mere number
Hence they have since held their way fro
the Atlantic to the Pacific shores. I'll
quicksilver pioneer temper coming frol
Ultima Thule, sought another in thi
hemisphere.
AEOAG THE FIRST DEEDS FOR LAND /
STANTON
was one made en- FEBRUARY q, 1749. by Wn
Beverley to John Cunningham, on tt
same day that the plat of the town WI
filed by Beverley in the Clerks office, fl
two lots Nos. and7. Lot No. ! was at tt
Southwest corner of Augusta Street ar
Spring Lane (now Irish Alley and e.
tended southardly to Lewis creek. The
IL is said the first house IN the town WI
erected and IN it was the first child Of tt
future city born. Lot No. 7 was at ii
Southeast corner OF Beverley end Wat
streets, where the old Central Bank bull
LOO, dc. ,noh of thoaa lntr tai n